What Can I Do To Prevent Injury From Botulism?
The Mayo Clinic provides these prevention tips:
Ø Be sure to use proper techniques when canning foods at home - To ensure that any botulism germs in the food are destroyed, you must ensure that good hygiene is practiced as you can food. Sterilize these foods by pressure cooking them at 250 F for at least 30 minutes. For detailed information on safe canning, contact your county extension service, provided by the Department of Agriculture and many universities.
Ø If you eat home canned food, consider boiling these foods for 10 minutes before serving them.
Ø Avoid eating preserved food if the container is bulging or if the food smells spoiled. If you wrap potatoes in foil before baking them, eat them hot or store them in the refrigerator - not at room temperature.
Ø To reduce the risk of infant botulism, avoid giving honey or corn syrup - even a tiny taste - to babies under the age of one.
Ø To prevent wound botulism and other serious blood-borne diseases, never inject street drugs.